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Equipping Organisations With The Right Talent & Skills To Match The Speed Of Innovation By Becs Roycroft, Vice President Of Global Emerging Talent

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Technological advancements are helping to spark innovation in every sector. From artificial intelligence and automation to cloud and big data, these technologies are transforming the way we work. The benefits for digital transformation are clear, highlighting the importance of digital skills to the future of the UK economy. However, research conducted in 2023 by Gallup and Amazon Web Services found that 72% of UK businesses had at least one vacancy for workers with digital skills, with only 11% of UK workers possessing digital skills described as advanced. Moreover, 68% of businesses reported that they find it challenging to hire digital workers, with 45% attributing this to a shortage of qualified applicants. With this in mind, Becs Roycroft, Vice President of Global Emerging Talent and Client Operations at Wiley Edge, explains how leaders can look to minimise skill shortages within the workplace and ensure employees are equipped to keep pace with the speed of change and innovation. Identify skills gaps  With 27% of UK workers saying that they lack the sufficient skills required for their job role, and 66% of large UK businesses struggling to recruit employees with the skills they need, businesses must pinpoint the specific technology challenges faced by employees to avoid falling behind their counterparts. Sourcing insights from industry leaders, such as in-demand skills that employees would benefit from learning, can help to build targeted learning experiences to equip employees with the ability to support the immediate or long-term needs of the business. By advancing employees’ technical proficiencies, businesses can address skill shortages from within to create a more cohesive and loyal workforce. If skills gaps persist, it’s likely that employers will need to undergo the often costly and time-consuming process of screening external candidates to secure the technology expertise that will soon be crucial for organisational success.  Diversify tech workforces  Recent research from Wiley Edge found that attitudes towards university degrees may be causing businesses to miss out on the top tech talent, with one in three (27%) businesses exclusively hiring from the top universities and 44% reporting that they are more likely to do so. This hiring strategy often results in the exclusion of those from lower socio-economic or ethnic minority backgrounds, as it is well-documented that students from these groups face obstacles when applying for top universities. Therefore, it’s important for businesses to expand their talent pool by recruiting candidates from all educational backgrounds. Some partners can aid with this objective by nurturing diverse talent who bring different life experiences and ideas - helping to boost innovation. This also has a direct impact on financial performance, with companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity being 36% more likely to have above-average financial returns than those in the bottom quartile.  Hire Train Deploy  The Hire Train Deploy (HTD) model allows businesses to hire graduates that have received specialised training within a technology that is specifically catered to industry needs. As candidates receive in-depth technical and skills training before being deployed, businesses can be confident that the new starter is equipped with the knowledge and capabilities to succeed from their first day in the role. Bridging the gap between employers and higher education, training providers will adapt their curriculum to reflect changing industry requirements, with courses including software development, data engineering, and cyber security, all of which are likely to become even more critical to future business operations over the coming years.  Provide mentorship programmes to improve existing recruitment channels Internal mentorship programmes, such as those where employees with extensive technology expertise are paired with newcomers to develop their skills, can help businesses to create a culture of continuous learning. As these programmes contribute to higher employee engagement and satisfaction, this can make a significant difference to a company’s ability to retain innovative talent. As higher retention rates result in the reduced requirement to fill vacant positions, it is a valuable strategy to support existing recruitment channels. From the perspective of external candidates, mentorship programmes can serve as an attractive opportunity for personal and professional growth, which encourages high calibre candidates to find out more about the organisation.  Fundamentally, innovation isn’t just about staying ahead; it’s about fostering a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, and diversity that propels both the organisation and future talent to new heights. By widening recruitment criteria and reducing the untapped potential within the business, organisations can benefit from a broader range of backgrounds and experiences that drive creative approaches and innovative solutions. In the long run, such efforts contribute to creating a dynamic workforce that remains adaptable in the face of change. 

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